The Sun. — London, England, 1826-12-06 00:00:00

A 1 7 4r. /12 WEST INDIA DOCK COMPANY. • THE COURT of DIRECTORS of the WEST • .1L -INDIA DOCK COMPANY hereby give notice, that the TRANSFER BOOKS of the said Company will be SHUT on SATUKDAY, the 9th instant, and OPEN again on WEDNESDAY, the 10th Jaxuary, 1827. H. LONaLANDS, Secretary. West India Dock-house, Dec. 1, 1826. On December 30 will be published, in 1 vol. live. price 10s. 6d, boards, • pAROCHIAL SERMONS. By the Rev. C BRADLEY, Vicar of Glashury. Sold by Hamilton, Adams, and Co., Paternester-row. Of whom may be had , by the same Author, SERMONS preached in the Parish Church of High Wycombe. Sixth Edition, 2 vols. price 21s. This day was published, price 6s. boards, the 7th volume of PRACTICAL and FAMILIAR SERMONS, designed for Parochial and Domestic Instruction. By the Rev. EDWARD COOPER, Rector of Hamstall R idwa re, and of Yoxall, in the county of Stafford. Printed for T. Well, London ; and W. Blackwood, Edinburgh. Of whom may also be had, by the same Author, SERMONS, chiefly designed to elucidate some of the leading Doctrines of the Gospel, 2 vols. 12mo. Price 10s. in boards. On the Ist of Jan. 1827, will be published, handsomely printed - in 1 vol. 12nt0., illustrated with Maps and other Engravings. A COMPENDIOUS INTRODUCTION to t 1.3 STUDY of the BIBLE. By THOMAS lIARTWELL HORNE, M.A. Being an Analysis of his "Introduction to the Critical Study and Knowledge of the Holy Scriptures." Printed for T. Cadet!, London ; and W. Blacks;ood, Edinburgh. '.," This Volume is respectfully offered as an assistant to the 1-tunes of Gentlemen at the Unirenities, and other Seminaries, of Theological Literature, as well as to other individuals who may respectively 1105303 the Author's larger Introduction, and who may require such urn auxiliary. At the same time, it will be . found a Manual or Compendious Guide to the perusal of the Holy Scriptures, adapted to the use of General Readers, who may not he able to purchase the original Work. THE PANTHERMANTICAN.-AN AP PARATUS for ENGLISH and FRENCH COOKERY in all their varieties, without the use of Charcoal Fires--Biew jog, Steaming, Washing, lint, Tepid, and Vapour Baths; Hot Closets, Airing Rooms, Drying Clothes, Steaming Food for Cattle, Distilling Waters, Warming Clothes-Presses, and giving a • et - natant supply of Hot Water, with every safe, economical, and comfort.tble accommodation that can be afforded by the trans mission of Heat in any direction required. These several Purposes ale effected by one small Fire, without Smoke and with perfect Cleanliness. Various sizes are exhibited in full operation, from £l2 and up wards, at the Manufacturers and Patentees, PAYNTER and . HAWKE, 283, Strand, opposite Norfolk-street. PATEN T HARPS.—SCHWIESO and Co., in returning thanks for the extensive patronage with which they have been honoured, are happy to inform the Nobility, °entry, and Masi& World in general, that they have just ob tained his Majesty's Royal Letters Patent for a new and brilliant IMPROVEMENT on the HARP. It hoe been ever a subject of complaint, and the Makers' attention strongly directed to re move, those unplensing, jar* to which Harps have always been found subject--a desideratum, however, till now, unaccomplish• Schwieso and Co.'s Patent will be found effectually to remedy this defect, giving a fullness and richness of tone to the Instrument hitherto unknown, as well also as facilitating very considerably the movement of the Pedals. They will be happy to give proof of this most interesting discovery to any Lady or Gentleman who will honour them with a call, at their Establish ment, 263, Regent-street, where an extensive assortment of Plegant and brilliant-toned Harp* and Piano-fortes is constantly can Sale. i A great variety of Spanish Guitars on s a le. * .' s Harps and Piano-fortes Lent on Hire ; Roman Strings of the first quality. BEDDlNG.—Captains, Merchants, Sea, 1 "--- 7 - men, and others, will find the greatest advantage arising from all PUrchases made at TIMOTHY'S EXTENSIVE MA. NVPACTORY, fur Feathers, Beds, Mattresses, Palliaises, and ..,,Bedsteads, No. 8, ALDGATE, two doors from Saracen's Bead Inn. The Proprietor manufacturing every article for sale on the P r emises, and purchasing the Materials for Cash, will he found not only to compete with any house in the Track in quality and work )4'l'4ll4), but likewise in prices, without arrogating to himself t he specious cant of the day, or professing to do business " for the benefit of industrious and ingenious Mechanics." He under. tikes in convince the most incredulous of the advantage Ready 'l"ney po,,esses in all purchases made at his Warehouse, No. 8, Altlote. PRESENT PRICES. Feathers filled rom the Stave. -....._..„..._._ Da t is cl. ... dale Dow! cu yed whi te ) Goose per lb. 3 0 2 0 rior ut. "._ t°, fittest quality 2 3 EY Goo • 2 Ditto be 1 3 • 1 6 s. d. Poultry per lb. 0 Ditto 1 0 ,Ditto,th the very beet 3 Beat Huion Bay 1 0 New Water Flock, all Wool 0 3 White Ditto 0 4 Ditto s equal to Mill Puff' 0 6 ) Purchasers of Feathers. Bad Ticks at Coat Price BEDS. W hite Dantric Goose, bor. £. s. .i. a. ,s?lered tick 3 0 G rey G oose , b oun d ft°. b and welted ordered tick Ditto, bordered 2 15 oose bound tick 8 0 Hudson Bay I 15 t'" Wh Il• (l poultry 1 6 1 21. 2s. 11> 5 0 Me, best quality Sea Beds from Is. to tr. 6d. each. Warranted well seasoned free from Dust or Smell. Mutts p "es, elastic curled )florae-hair, Wool, and Flock, from 10s. liii4 gaefis in the greatest variety of quality and size, from...los. BEDSTEADs, warranted made on the Premises. nan dlorne carved mahogany 1-post, sft. wide, of the best quality ' Full-sized Tent .i , l , 0 lYtt 1.• • : 1 5 1 0 .-lipt,c l t , i ncht Chinese, Cottage, Bamboo, and Field Tents, stained and painted. rtr it x urn aim—Handsome Tent, from 355. to 3/.—Four-post, from 9,/. 10,. sa l t s Persons having Feathers to dispose of at a low price, will N o 4 ready on©y purchaser at TIMOTHY'S MANUFACTORY, 'B, LIK:ATE. N N onc E is hereby given, that WILLIAM ' S TANNARD, of York-market, the Regent's Park, in P'lrish of S a i nt P ancras i n t h e County of M i d d lesex , Painter and the (O ( 'lazier, b ath by Indenture of Assignment, bearing date t iintli d ay of November, one thousand eight hundred and twenty fi'n' Conveyed and Transferred all his Estate and Effects, what soever, (save and exce t it his Household Furniture and Wearing Apparel, of himself ar il family) unto JOHN KERSEY, of Graf ton-atreet, Fitzroy "l"re. in the same Parish and County, Gen tleman and WILLIAM. LAXTON, of Osnaburgh-street, Re gent's p ar k , in the same Parish and County, Surveyor, in trust, • for the equal benefit of his CREDITORS; which said Indenture was duly executed by the said William Stannard, John Kersey, . and William Luton, on the day of the date thereof, in the presence of, and attested by, Joseph Langharn Dale, Clerk to the said John Kersey, 36, Bayham-street, Canulen-to wn ; and which said In tlentUre of Assignment, was duly re -executed by the said William B tantiard, John Kersey, and William Luton, on th e s i xt h d ay o f 'November, instant, in the presence of and attested by John 'hush Webb er . of New North-street, Red Lion -square, in the said c oun t y of Middlesex, Attorney-at-Law, dated this first day of November, one thousand eight hundred and twetty-six. JOHN H. WEBBED, . . Solicitor, 13, New North-street, Red Lion square. ' %tam, THOMAS WOMAN, ',.:_ Clerk to the said J. H. Webber. WCOUGHS, COLDS, ASTHMAS, &c. ILLMOTT'S COUGH PILLS.--These Pills have been found,. by long experience, to be a most to Remedy ; th e i r operat i on b y promoting expectoration, 44,1 gently relieving the bowels, by which means they will speedily t o puree the m os t o b s ti na t e Cough. In Asthma., Hoarseness, and ' t diseases of th e B reas t an d Lungs, the efficacy of these Pills is 7: 11 know n i n a very l arge and extens i ve connection, thy have the t es t o f time, and the inventor can with confidence in 'roues them into very general use. ....Sold i n B ox ", at Is. lid. and 2.. 9d. by' Willmott, 53, ;41elt-street, Borough ; Butlers, Chemists, cheapaide, Corner St. 13, Princes-street, Edinburgh; and 54, Sackville-street, Z• "Hu ; Savory and Co. 136, New Bond-street ; and the prin- I Me(lioine Venders in the United Kingdom. Of whom may Cr„ , . Dr. FOTHERGILL'S TONIC FEMALE PILLS, re en;;l"nded in g enera l D e bility of the Constitution, also as a safe n! excellent remedy in those periodical irregularities 'Which Fe )e:11", (f delicate and languid circulation, more especially the Ai rites part, are liable to. In Boxes, at 1.. 11td. and 2s. Ad. P OTHERGILL'S DROPS, so much celebrated for 4 4 4 i i in c eacit in Nervous Disorders. In Bottles, at 4*, 6d. ; Is. ; ~k _L -e ( / I/ LA / ) '4" No. 1.0,683. IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. (4111 k 4 , - PRICE 7D. WEDNESDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 6, 1826. HOUSE OF LORDS.-TUESDAY, Dix. 5. Lord SEAFORD took his seat with the usual for malities on the creation of a new Peer. He was introduced by Lords Howard de Walden end Wharncliffe. On the motion of the Earl, of SHAFTESBURY, it was ordered, that no Petitions on Private Rills be received by the How& after Tuesday, the 21st of March, and no reports there on from the Judges after Thursday, the 26th of April. The Earl of SHAFTESBURY presented a_Peti. tion from the weavers of Glasgow against the Corn Laws.—Ad. journed. HOUSE OF COMMONS.—TUESDAY. ELECTION PETITIONS. Petitions were presented complaining of the returns of the county of Limerick, to be considered on the 4th of January ; the city of Wells, on the 17th of January ; the borough of Ludlow, January the 17th ; the county of Kerry, January the 18th ; 'the borough of Kingston-upon-Hull, January the 18th ; the borough of Camellord, January the 18th ; the borough of Mallow (two petitions), January the 19th; and the borough of Stockbridge, January the 19th. Lord BINGHAM presented a petition from the Roman .Catholic inhabitants of two parishes—Killgoblin, and another (the name of :which we did not collect), in the county of Mayo, praying for emancipation. The petitions were read, and ordered to.be printed. WEIGHTS AND MEASURES. Mr. WARBURTON, after adverting to the im perfections which were to be found in the late Act for regulating weights and measures, and expressing a hope that something might be done with a view to remedy those imperfections, moved for a return of all the places in England, Ireland, and Scotland, which had caused copies of the late standards of weights and measures to be competed with those in the Ex c h equer w i t h a v i ew to t h e i r correctness.---Motion was agreed to. DISTRESS IN SCOTLAND. Lord A. HAMILTON had to present several pe titions from poor manufacturers iu Scotland, complaining of a state of destitution and misery, which it gave great pain to be obliged to state to the House, and it w.lB the tuore painful as he was convinced of the accuracy of what the petitioners stated. They mentioned that most of them bad been for some time out of work ; that the long toil which those who could get any employ ment, to realise even the miserable pittance of 65., 55., and some times only 4s. 6d. per week, were forced to submit to, was like a state of slavery : and they added that such was the extent of their destitution and nakedness, that they hardly thought it decent to Appear at divine service. They stated further, that their families were crying to them for bread, and they had none to givo them ; and that by this [misery in which all were involved, they had lost that control') over their families which fathers ought to possess who hoped to be able to instil moral principles into their children. He was sensible that he had not been able to do justice to their petitions, or to draw a sufficiently striking picture of their present forlorn situation. lie was also aware, that as the petitioners asked for the means of emigration, their petitions could not be received without the con • sent of the Crown. He trusted, however, that under the pecu liar circumstances of this ease, the Right Hon. Gentleman op posite (Mr. Peel) would not withhold such consent, as the giving it could not pledge the Government in any way whatsoever, hereafter to support the prayer of it. Mr. PEEL said, the Noble Lord had treated this distressing subject in a manner highly creditable to his own feel ings, and to his character as representative of the county where this wretchedness more particularly prevailed. He had no objec tion to the present petition being received, In order that it might be referred to the Committee which should be appointed to take this subject into consideration. The petition was then read, and ordered to be printed. Mr. R. MARTIN presented a petition from ele ven Protestant inhabitants of the parish of Kilcummin, in the county of Galway, . praying for Catholic Emancipation. The Hon. Member also presented another petition to the like effect from 1,500 Catholic inhabitants of the same parish. .These peti tions were severally read and ordered to be printed. Mr. D. W. HARVEY had a petition, which he believed would he as little open to dispute as any which could be presented. It was a petition complaining of the uncertainty of the law, and he conceived it was peculiarly appropriate on the present occasion, when joint stock companies were just about to be brought under consideration. The petition was then read and ordered to he printed, Colonel TOR RENS gave notice that he should on the first open day after.the recess, bring forward a bill for the pacification of Ireland. Mr. M. A. TAYLOR. moved for a return of the number of persons who had taken the benefit of the. Insolvent Act between the Ist day of December, 1824, amid the Ist day of De cember, 1826, distinguishing the number who had 'been dis charged in each year, and the umber remetuded.—The return was ordered. Mr. H. GRANT, as he saw the Secretary for Ire land in his place, would take the liberty of asking hint if it was proposed, after the holidays, to make any alteration in the Irish Act SS Geo. lli. c. 21, regarding the Sheriffs of Ireland, the ap pointment cif Sheriffs for Dublin, and their clerks. Mr. GOULBURN could not at this moment an swer the Hoe. Member's inquiry, as the matter was now under the consideration of those who were competent to decide on it. Mr. G. SMITH presented a petition from some town in the county of Mayo, praying for Catholic Emancipation. The petition was ordered to lie on the table Col. DAVIES gave notice that he would, on a tit ture day, move, that previous to the estimates being voted, they should be referred to a committee up stairs. Sir T. D. ACLAND gave notice that he should, to-morrow, move fur the production of certain correspondeOce be tween his Majesty's Government and Foreign Powers on the sub ject of the slave trade. JOINT STOCK SCHEMES. Mr. Alderman WAITHMAN presented a petition from Roger Flattery, relating , he said , to a subject which would that night be brought under discussion. The petitioner had been a Civil Engineer in Dublin, and coming over to London, had some overtures made to him by several pe . IIOAS,• amongst others by Members of Parliament, respecting certain mines; and that a Joint Stock Company was formed for working the same mines— that the works cost only 6,000/., and that 10,0001. were charged to the public, whereby a great loss was sustained. After the petition had been read and ordered to lie on the table, WAITHMAN moved that it be printed. Mr. I3IWGDEN, in general, was in favour of Printin g petitions ; but in this case, he thought it unfair to al low a statement to be embodied in print, and placed in the records of the House, which was wholly false. The petitioner states that o v ertures had b een made to him by se v e ra l M embers o f the House. Now. the fact was, that only two Members of the House had been confessedly i mp li ca t e d in this particular concern ; and one of them, he c ou ld s t e t n amely, himself (as was recently put beyond all doubt Flattery. ), had had no emnin u nication whatever with 311.. The question was then put , that the petition be p rinted, when two voic es were against it. The SPEAKER wits about to divide the House, but ROGI EN Mr. B 3 rose and said, he should_ not bate the sense of the House upon the question. The petition w as t h en ordered to be printed. pP Mr. WAITHMAN next resented a etinon from certain Sharehold ers of theArigna Mining Joint Stock Company , complaining of the misconduct of the Directors, through whose means the sum of 25,000/. was charged for mines, which really cost but 10,0001., the difference being other h heerro :ntn:B an l l fraudulent tran s f ers made for the puriose received, they st a t e d th at t h e followingi e were "mi tred by the per sons whose nam e s were attached to them respectively :—Sir W. Congreve, 2,500/. ; J. B rogden, Esq., 1,0474; J. Dent , Esq.' 1,0471. ; J. Clarke, Esq., 1,0411. ; H. Clarke, Esq., 1,047/. ; J. AlTean, Esq., 1,047/., &e. The petition was then brought up and partly read. Mr. BROGDEN desired that the na►nes of the subscribers should be read. • The Clerk then read the names of Wm. Clark, J. Mitchell, J. Bernol,. and Fred. Soubisson , Mr. BROGDEN said he had but one remark to make respecting this petition. He believed it had been carried about with great anxiety for the purpose, of signatures; but the House would draw its conclusion frown the circumstances that, although great activity had been used, and though the number of shareholders amounted to between two and three hundred, yet net more than four were got to affix their names to this statement. He believed also, -that the worthy Alderman himself had been pretty active in looking for signatures. At least, he knew of one party who had been applied to for his signature, and he was re quested not to delay about it, at it was intended to have it sent to Mr. Waithman before four o'cklek. One of the four persons who signed this petition wag. Mr. Clark, the Gentleman who boasted that lie was Mr. Clark without an e to his name, to distinguish him from the two other Mr. Clarkes. This person had made himself very active in these Joint Stock transactions, and was portico lady forward in accusing , him (Mr. B.) Mr. WAITHMAN.--It mattered .'very little whether the petition was signed by four or four hundred, provided only that the contents were true. He denied having asked for any signatures. T • • • The been read; on the motion that it be printed, Mr. It. MARTIN expressed a hope that if the pe tition were printed, the names of the persons subscribing it would also be printed with it. _ _ Mr. BROGDEN valued very much the kimi in tentions of his Hon. Friend, but knowing very well the value of publishing these petitions, and that it was, in fact, the cheapest mode of circulating information the House could adopt, yet he was disposed to think that it would he impolitic to stop the printing of this petition without the names. He trusted, therefore, that his Hon. Friend would withdraw his motion. Mr - . MARTIN assented, and the petition was or dered to be printed. Mr. Alderman WAITHMAN had another peti tion to present to the House. It was from from several electors of the borough of Sodbury, and complained of grievances generally, andi n particular of the deprivation of a representative in the per son of Mr. J. Wilk*, who, they stated, having been involved in various Joint Stock transactions, and being unable to establish his qualification, had not yet taken his seat. (The charges in the petition were more extensive, and more strongly described, than we have stated them.) The petition having been read, on the motion that it he printed. Mr. MARTIN, in moving for the printing of the names attached to the former petition, meant to cast no aspersions on those Gentlemen. He only wished that as the accusation was circulated, the accusers' names should also be published, in order that if they were respectable, their respectability might be made clear—and if otherwise, that the,ti•uth should he known. Mr. WYNN did not know how they could receive these accusations without notice being given to the party com plained against. • Mr. Alderman WAITHMAN withdrew his mo tion for printing the petition. It was then ordered to lie no the table. , „ ARIGNA MINING COMPANY. 1 ' Mr. Alderman WAITHMAN said, he laboured under considerable difileulty in bfinging forward the motion, of which be had given notice for that evening. If he were to bring forward a motion upon which Hon. Gentlemen present could feel no observations personal to themselves, he should feel no such difficulty; but it was impossible to enter upon this subject with out making allusions and remarks which must not only be felt by Hon. Members themselves, but also create a considerable serisa• tion amongst their tliends. lie wished it, however, to be under stood, that in the observations which he felt it his duty to make, it was not his intention to confine himself to one individual, or any number of individuals; and here he begged to set himself right with an lion. Gentleman opposite, as he (Mr. Weidman) felt that he had not been fairly dealt with in being called upon to come forward_ with a specific charge against that Gentleman (Mr. Brogdin). Indeed, he felt that, upon a subject of such magnitude, it would be invidious to bring a direct charge against any one Mem her of that House. The only reason why he alluded mere per.. ?tonally to the Hon. Gentleman, was, because he had for some time held an important office in the appointment of that bony, and because he was again to be proposed to till it. Feeling this, and knowing from public report that the Hon. Gendemaii' had been connected arid mixed up with some Companies of a questionable nature, he thought an inquiry ought to take place previously to his re-appointment to his office. But his views did not rest here he looked higher ; lie wished to have the whole question of Joint Stock Companies inquired into, both as they regarded the inte rests of the public, and the interests, and honour, and character of that House. It was with this view, and with this view only, that he meant to4eriug the general question under the consideration of the House. In looking to the circumstances which took place within the last two years, it was impossible, even for the most clear-sighted persons, to form more than an imperfect idea of whet had been done. Indeed, many Hon. Members were, up to this moment, ignorant of the extent and variety of the transactions which had taken place in that period.. Gentlemen who resided for the most part in the country, and young Members who had riot turned their minds to that subject, would be surprised to learn, that in the course of the last two or three years no le e s th an 600 Joint Stock Comp an i es h a d b een brough t out, requiring a capital of 500,000,000/. and upwards, to carry them into effect. Now, he spoke rather confidently upon this subject, as he eves not without authority fur his assertions. The House must he aware, that an inquiry, such u that into which he had been oblig ed to enter, could not be made without much labour, in order to find out the different Companies, the Directors and Mauagers of them; their various objects, the deposits paid upon them, the premiums to which they bad severally risen, and their present value, Sac. Sec. But it was impoesible that he could have gone throng,' such an inquiry without aid ; he had re ceived much assistance, anti he trusted that the evidence ob tained was in such a state of forwardness as to be in a short time laid before the public. When he (totted that 600 Joint titock Companies had come lout within a certain period, he wished it to be understood that many of them vanished almost immediately, not, however, before some money had been ob tained for the shares in very many instances ; and in those OURS the parties suffering could obtain no redress, beenuee the transactions were in themselves illegal. But there were now before the public more than three hundred Joint Stock Com panics of various kinds, of which many were engaged, or to be engaged, in British or Foreign Mining ; these alone taking a capital of 25,000,000/. to carry them into effect, This was enoug h to show the House the immense sums which had been abstracted from circulation, and which, he ventured to ailed, contributed more to the severe pressure of distress which they had all felt, than the war, or any other circumstance to which that distress had been ascribed. It was, throughout, a system of delu sion and fraud, practised upon the week and credulous by the artful and designing. In Mining (he spoke in round numbers, and only upon a calculation made three weeks since, but differing —no doubt, from the incessant fluctuation —from the prices of the present day); but in mining alone there were, as he had al ready /Awed, Companies requiring a capital of 25,000,0001., and upon which payments to the amount of 5 ,200,000/. had been already made. Adding to this a rough average of the other payment s on s h ares , which he Wo u ld ta k e at 11;000,000/. it would ma k e a t o tal of 14,200,000/. Now the present value of these shares, 'if indeed, they could at all he sold, was 2,400,000/. ; so that in the event of such a sale, there would be me clear loss to the public of 12,000,000/., or thereabouts. The House would from this form some idea of what the total hats to the public must be. it might be said that this money WAS not all 104 by one description of people, and that all the shares had not been sold. But there was the mischief; some of the shares had been kept hack on purpose to give a fictitious value to the others. It was in this that the trickery of the transactions conoisted• If a Mill bought a lottery ticket, and wished to gamble in that way, he kne w what he was about:; he felt that he was risk.ing2oo. for about I Os., and that a part ga t o Government, but h ere was gambling • of the moneyed lost woidd o fa different description—gambling where a man must l ose with out the chance of gaining. It might be said that this money only changed hands ; but it should be remembered, that if shares were declared at one time worth IOU!., that 100/. might be succes sively lost by ten different people. Again, it was said that the present holders of shares were the losers. This was not the fact; on the contrary, it not uefrequently happened that persons-sold when shares were at a great price—say 1,2004 or 1,400/. each— and bought in again when they had reached their greeted de pression, perhaps 40/. or 50/. ; and in thin way they were in many instances the present holders. lu some cases, tuo, where persons had paid so much as 14,000/. they were cut off from being shareholders, in consequence of not having paid the third deposit; and in addition to this there has been a loss of SO,OOO/. in the Shape of premiums. True, said several persons; .but it is of little con sequence, as the money taken out of the pockets of one set of persons has found its way into the pockets of another set; and so, as a national matter, there is no loss. But if he understood any thing of Government, it was the duty of the Legislature to pro tect the foolish and the simple, the silly and the ignorant, against the arts and insidious devices of the crafty and the knavish. Ile had.one further observation to make before he left this part of the subject; supposing an average were struck of the I'2" millions, • supposing it were taken at only half that amount, it was to be re collected that the work of gambling was going on every day and hour. Sometimes shares rose rapidly, and fell as suddenly in the course of twenty-four hours, so that the system was carried to an enormous and incalculable extent, spreading over four, five, or six millions of money. He had left out of his calculation, perhaps, two or three hundred other Joint Stock Companies, probably of a worse description, but, separately, not of much magnitude or im portance. His object was to examine the injury the system had produced ; and he called upon upon the House to enter upon an in quiry into the nature and origin of the Companies, as a part of its public duty. If no satisfaction could be afforded !Or the injuryal wady sustained, it was time, at least, to look round upon the dis tressing scene, and to consider of tame measure of security and protection for the future.—(Hear, hear. )—lt was not his intention to enter minutely into the great variety of schemes which bad recently been brought forward; if he confined himself only to a very few of the many which were of the same nefarious character, he hoped it would be sufficient to induce the House to acquiesce in his motion. Before he went into this branch of the subject, he wished to state that the same individuals were iu many instances connected with a vast number of projects; their motives were certainly laudable, if their own assertions were to be taken undis puted; charity, benevolence, compassion for distress, seemed to be unbounded ; and with the view of promoting only the general happiness and weltiure of mankind, they had contrived these under takings. Persons of rank, Members of both Houses of Mlle ment, load been prevailed upon to lend their names and support, and, no doubt, their intentions were equally humane and disinte rested. About a deeen or fifteen individuals formed the Members of a much greater number of undertakings; one was a Director in this Company, an Auditor in that, and a Banker in a third, and so they rung the changes between them. There were two Mining Companies, whose deposits, losses, &c. could not be stated at less than a million and a half each ; one of these was the Pasco-Peruvian, regarding which there had formerly been some discussion in that House. It was instituted by the same par ties who originated .several Gas Companies—the Equitable Loan Company, and the Arigna Mining Company ; and they were all put in motion at the sate time. The Pasco-Peruvian Shares came out at 16 per cent. premium, and some of the nawspapers called the parties who gave it fools, which pro duced a most indignant reply from the Directors, showing that the shares were of almost incalculable value, and that the under taking held out the most promising prospects. Nevertheless this Company had come to its end : and none of the pompous descrip tions and promising prospects had been realised; others were either thinking of their last moments or were breathing their last gasp, and„ people begun to be aware how ridiculously they had been deluded. The Pasco Peruvian Shares, on'which 6!. had been paid, were brought out at 16 per cent. premium, and they rose to 493 per cent. premium. Up to the present moment ISt. had been paid, and that, added to 49/ made 64/. ; yet whet considered the ulnal worth of the shares at this day in the mar ket ! Only 1/. lbs.—(Hear.)—Ten thousand shares were issued, which, if sold at 641. each, would poultice 640,000!. ; and de ducting the supposed value of the shares at present, the net loss would amount to more than 620,000/. The Imperial Gas Company was under the auspices of the same individuals, and the concern was probably carried on in the same counting-house. It belonged also to several others, regarding which a little scrutiny would occasion curious disclosures. One of them was the Arigna Min ing CoMpany, the amount and extent of which was extremely small, compared with its companions, but the Directors of it were most assuredly not hehind-hand in their mal-practices. There were 6,000 shares of 601. each, upon which a deposit was made of 5/. per share. They rapidly ascended from 4 per cent. to 18 per cent. premium, and in one day oily they advanced from 8 or 10 to 24, falling again to .2.2 Whether this extraordinary variation could be produced without some trick or contrivance on the part of the Di rectors, be left the House to decide. The gross amount paid upon the shares was 72,000/., the premiums were 150,000/, and the loss upon the project about 200,000/. What had been dune with the shares was not exactly known, but the Petition he had this night laid upon the table threw some light upon the question, grounded upon documents sworn to by the parties. It was his wish, in adverting to this Company, if possible, entirely to avoid alluding to an Honourable Member who had been unfortunately implicated with it; but after all that had already passed, arid after the mum in which he (Mr. Waithman) load been urged, it was hardly possible for him so to manage the subject as wholly to overlook him. It would, however, as he had once before re 'nuked, bean act of grievous injustice to that lion. Gentleman if lie alone were - eingled out, when others were at least equally, if not more culpablo---(Hear, hear). He believed in his conscience, that even if the Intuit were willing to do its duty by going seri. moody into the enquiry, nothing could be effectually done if Mi nisters did not give it their countenance if they did concur, the investigation would doubtless lead to disclosures which would ren der it impossible for several individuals to h o ld th e i r sea t s i n Par- Lament. In whltt he bad said respecting the conduct of one Honourable Member, on a former night, he meant no more than to oppose the motion that he should take the Chair of the Com mittees until he had an opportunity of repelling certain charges. Even taking his own statement, and giving it the fullest credit, he, (Mr. Waithmau) thought that enough was dis• closed to warrant the House in pausing before it con. curred in filling up the vacant office. The Directors of these Companies were Trustees—it was their duty to manage the prop rty and guard the interests of others; 'and they ought to be men of character and probity; in short, such men as that those of plunder who placed confidence in them would not merit the epithet of fools. The Directors or Trustees of the Arigna Company, hay.. ing these important functions to discharge, the first question they that they were to lie ;Mewed two or three guineas for attending but % h v e ali w n a o r t e i how we toca can be e lla b l e r ? ful filll e t a h r e , trusther ! )-... rei Tli e e d y were told :Old to do nothing, and six or seven guineas for writing their names in a book, and doing, at the utmost, half an hour's work. But that was not sufficient : their ambition seemed to have over-leapt minor considerations ; and hiving received this answer to the inquiry, how , they were to be paid, they replied, " Oh no : this will never do—we must be paid in shares." To this th e re ply was, that KO much had been recently said about the partition of shares among Directors, that such an arrangement was impossible? a slim of money was, therefore pointed out, and they were desired to help themselves to as much as they thought proper. Wite this a fit course for any man to pursue? Did it become a Member of this House, having the care and disposal of the property of a Proprietor's of the Company, to put )047/. into hie poeket, and coolly walk away to his seat in the Chair of the Committees of the House with*t investigation ? (Hear, hear.)—lf the workman were worth fiis hire, yet, in this instan cedw ee, ai n ltth o imm ;r if : ereg h f a t i ede b il e i e r n isue d ey on lai si in . ic tw A b il y m il i ni t a ti :l ; e g t y , to b t o in w poo ev nre c ai r :rostarcohn,gheer that no fraud lad been committed, and that the Hon. Gentleman had and whether the 1047/. were derived from d ivision to the extent of )5,000/., or from the sale of shares, in a made no difference. The Petitioners, whose case he bed just laid before the House, said, that they could draw no distinction of the kind, nor could he—(Hear !)---In some cases, the Direct tors, in fact had no shares, and had paid no deposits; yet, when the public in general neglected to pay their deposits, the shares were forfeited, anti the Directors applied the money to their own purposes, whil e t h e parties had no remedy, inas much as the whole transaction Was illegal. In an action brought against a Company, of which the Hon. Gentleman was a Di- 4'N I ... 1, - _ '••• - rf 4.,, - c A i: ~ - ,-..'"/0 '"' -1 4 ( t 4: .t ti• '-' ‘ - ~..: / '"... .... * , •,.:;. V.:• , ,, • ~- iO. ~,, ...„.. ~ ..,„. 411§0 ,, I k e * ' 0 ' .I.- • , ',16 , - - .„,, t ...,., -. • ~.,, , 4 . ~ 0 , 4,i . ' 44 , ' 4 t ) *-- , .11111q.‘ 45,14' - ' 4liti t t i,vili t e lL N ilo rb s ) ,. z 1;,' .. . ~ . ' 41ktraino n ° • - liAillltc. ...J. x -- ' \ ,- ;;:\! , P. ;‘4N,. , ~.''' 1, - 4 ... cf 4 ..., 0.. "-- :Ld11, 44. '.:' ; `,:,:::::'; . 1 41 ‘). \,.... ' $ • recta'', the Chief anatice declared, not only that arch week , tions were contrary to an existing Act of Parliament, but illegal at common law, as leading to mischievous conssqunmo, ang encouraging gambling. Nevertheless, after the declaration of this ols o o f pi r n h i e on lan o d f , th h e ad la se w ; t r te em v s e e r l y v z to ke b ra re olth ri e k :a irstro is, t fo h r e t l h .e e gi s ti a la ke - of filling their own pockets, an d yet did not scruple to hold seats in Parliament,_—(Hear, hear, )__h any Hon. MeMber wauld get up in his place, and say that an individual who had so' conduCtigt himself was fit to sit in the Chair of Committees, it was more than would be believed by any dieinteretted man in the kingdom. —(Hear, hear.)—Complimenta, though sincere, would be worth little from him; but he felt confident that Ministers would not countenance any such proceeding. The question *ruched bath sides of the House—which party was moat deeply involved he tfiti not pretend to decide; he had but one duty to perform, and he was sorry that ere now, Government had not taken up the inkjet as a matter of national concern. It appeared that an Act of Parliament' was to be applied fur; but, before he noticed this circumstantes. he ought to mention, that when Mr. Flattery cams over, the job was to put the whole 15,0001. into the pocket* of only three or four persons; that plan, however, was not thought practicable, as other gentlemen might have some little hankering after the money. It was consequently resolved to divide it into smaller shares; and, as some parties for whom it was intended would not take it, and others were abroad, their proportion was left in the hands of one Honourable Gentleman. One Member of this Heuer, received 2,500/. of the money, besides 1,22151, for shares sold, although he had not paid a single deposit upon them. This feel was sworn to by the Clerk of the Company.—.(Cries of " name, name !" here interrupted the Honourable Member.)—He referred to the Chairman, Sir William Congreve, upon whose shareell/St for premium was due, and to this hour had not been paid—(ltelffe hear.)—The House would see how the matter stood. An Act of Parliament was iu progress, and a Member who wes to hi called upon to decide upon it put this large sum into his pocket. while his brother-in-law obtained 1,000/. and another of hie agents 1,000/. mme. ' How many other agents he might have, and how much they obtained, he (Mr. W.) knew not. Under these circumstances, was not the House in honour hound to do something to free itself from this reproach...4%mb cheering.)---A fouler stain bad never been east upon Parlia ment, and, compared with it, the prenottatiou of 1,000/. to Sir J. Trevor for the Auckland Bill was nothing. Yet Mr. Hutchins son, who had received twenty guineas, had been expelled, on the ground that the receipt of a bribe was subversive of the character' and independence of a Member. He - Would now proceed td another point, in reference to another Company. In that instante r :14 Members of Parliament had 20,000 shares divided between them, and a majority of the Committee upon the Bill introduced consisted of Direc'tnrs and Sharcholders.—(Hear, helm !)—A needless degree of sympathy seemed lately to have been shewri for Private Committee., and it was contended that those who arraigned their impartiality were a little too severe in their cern , sines ; but could any terms express the indignation that ought to he felt by every honest man, when it was found that the tribunal to decide upon the-merits of a measure consisted chiefly of those who were Directors or noteholders of the Scheme the Bill was to carry into execution ? The thirty-four Members , had accepted Lad sold their shines When they were at a premium, and bad re need to pay the deposits upon them when they were at a dis munt.—(Hear, hear, hear !)(Several Members here inter flirted Mr. Waithman, to make some suggestions to him)... He was much obliged to his Honourable Friends, but they must excuse him if he proceeded in hie own way, as he could only to one thing at a time—(Hear !) The Equitable Loon Company's fill was solicited in this House, and upon that occasion a Petition was presented, complaing of jobbing and illegal traffic in Shares, Ind calling upon the House to institute an inquiry, which wee refused. The Directors held out to the public that they were own of the highest honour and character, and of the first conse quence ; and they had the audacity (it could only have been effect ed by misrepresentation and fraud) to prevail upon the Doke of York to lend his name as the head and patron of the un dertaking. All knew the readiness of his Royal Highness to lend his aid to any charitable purpose—(Hear,)—and it must have been by pretences of this kind that he was imposed upon. Ceder the mask of charity and general benev&eeee, what did the promoters of this wheelie do ? On the 2d of April (they ought to have chosen the let of April, All Fools' Day), they published a paragraph, which, after dilating on the pro fits and rascality of pawnbrokers,' proceeded to laud their own humanity, benevolence, and piety. They bad no private ends, hut merely the public good in view ; and yet, ludicrous as it might appear, while they heaped all sorts of abusive epithets on pawnbrokers for obtaining such excessive and fraudulent re muneration, they declared that they should theme lees be able to pay a handsome dividend to the shareholders out of the sale of un redeemed pledges only. It was held nut to the public that, for hatter security, each Director was to hold 300 shales, but when a premium could be obtained upon the sale of them, the qualification was reduced to only SO shares. On the 2d of April it was also asserted, that there was it demand for 8,000 shares more than ex isted." Fresh shares were therefore issued, and a week was taken to make a fair distribution of them ; and out of 40,000 shares in the whole, no less than 31,500 were divided among the Directors and two of the officers of the Cempany. The rest were divided among stock-brokers, - persons connected with newspapers, and others. He would broadly assert, because he was possessed of the most accurate information on the point, that twenty of the Direc tors up to this hour bad not paid the deposits on their shares.. How could any man, he would ask, dare to go to a Company sod -ask for a hundred sharee that he might sell them at a plemium of t 0 per Cent., and obtain 400 shares from another concern of the same kind, the deposits upon $OO of which sere yet due how him ? [The Hon. Gentleman at this part of his speech exhibited to the House from his pocket the very shares on which an Hon. Member had qualified himself sea Director of one of these Com panies, and which shares he had sold.] He had had some conver. sarion with one of the Directors of the Equitable Loan Company, who admitted that the scheme was a bad one, that • it was badly conducted, but that he had cleared 12001. by his shares.-- Though he had disposed of them, he fairly owned ' himself still bound to take care of the interests of the parties to whom he had sold them, and when be (him. Waithman) reminded him that it would have been better if he had returned the money, the Di rector could not by any means concur in the necessity or wisdom of such a proceeding.—(Hear.)—When the Bill wet brough t into Parliament, he (Mr. Waithman ) had told the promoters t hat it WAS impossible for them to carry it ; and what was their an swer ? They showed him a list of the Directors, and told him that so many were in the House of Commons on the Ministerial aide, and so many on the Opposition side; and, what was of still more importance, they had secured the Saints.—(Lond laughter.) —They relied upon this advantage, and the ParhamentaryDirec tors were attached to the undertaking precisely in proportion to the sum of money they obtained for the shares which were given to them. One Hon. Member, indeed, had declared, "so help him Heaven !" that he was ignorant of anything improper in any of the transactions, and .that he was bound by his °Me! to watch over the iaterebts of the proprietors. What he (Mr. 'Weidman) had already stated would give a fair, and not an exaggerated, %ample of schemes of this nefarious description : he might, indeed, go into a mass of detail, but it %would not render the ____.___ ...... subject inure clear, and the great difficulty with w hi c h h e h ad to contend was the accumulation of materi a l s . H e h a d b een encumbered by them, but he would not f at i gue t h e House by going further into a case, as he thou g ht, sufficiently es t a bli s h e d . If asked whether he desired to make the proposed inquiry ge neral, his answer would he that he wished to do no more than * was practicable. If a Committ ee were appointed, doubtless its labours might he extended, but it ought on l y and whenever a flagrant case was exposed, to investigate the must crying abuses. Repo r t s m i g h t b e made from time to time, it ought certainly to be 41104 to the bottom. Wh ere a great public object wee in view, lie trusted that h e sh ou ld b e met by nothing like a mere techni cal objection.—(Hear, hear.).—He h a d furnished Ministers with . the names of the C omm i ttee he wished to have appoint 4 a, and he could assu re th em t h at his sole guide had b een a d es i re to select those wh o h a d no personal feeling, and were w h o ll y un connected with th ese gambling pro j ec t s . With regard to the case of the Honourable Gentlemen (gr. licogdeo), he could assure hint with the utmost sincerity, that if it could he shoivn that'he (M r . W . ) wa i t i n error , ~o man would rejoice more than putation. U nt il th e chugs had been refitted' he should continue himself that th e H o n o urable Gentleman was freed front all int ma Who bed so mixed himself up with of Opini on t h at an indirld transactions ought not to preside over th e Committees occupying further time he 4 That a Select Committee 1* appointed to inquire ss of of t t h h o is u d o es u :Vpti a hut should move. • into the man agement, and prevent state of th e J o i n t St oc k have been formed durthe ears , tPee a tonrigli::h' 21 i.e . b dto report the same to t h g te House, with say : Cepe,VilittttleB 1 r 'n touching the conduct of any Member of 'this IlatiOitrable House." Mr. BROGDEN, with a considerable earnestness of manner, begged leave to second the Motion, The SPEAKER, alter having p u t the Question, said, that he had received a letter front An Hon. Member, men tioned in the course of debate (Sir W. Co agcset ), st at tiug, th a t it . w a s utterly impossible for bins to attend at prow*, on amnia of ill health, and enclosing the certificates of Dr. Paris and a surgeon. Mr. CANNING assured the Hon. Alderman that, in manumit:nig his intention to move ak Atuenktioent, h. thttl [